The Best Laid Plans…

Are of Field Mice and School Children (from the 1800’s)

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas

A few weeks ago I ventured out to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas to do some epic photography. Clearly we all go out in hopes of epic photography right? I had a couple of things to cross off the list while I was out there.

Fly the drone around the Prairie and get some shots where my legs couldn’t take me.

Hike and enjoy myself with the camera.

While we all go out with a list it doesn’t always happen as we plan. Of course a solid plan with no flex is bound to be broken. However, I didn’t have much time for flex, I had a 24 hour period! As it turned out the list went more like this:

🙂 Met with Richard (Awesome guy by the way)

🙁 The clouds in the afternoon slowly started to build, I saw one cloud, then 10, then 100 and then there was no sky which meant no sunset

🙁 The cloud cover ruined the chance of a Milky Way shot, not even a hole in the cloud coverage

🙁 They don’t allow UAV’s in the park.

🙂 This one was a blast and I am glad I left it in the plan. I rolled with the punches and got some great stuff!

Much of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve covers an area that was flourishing in the late 1800’s. The park revolves around a mansion, the barn attached to it, and the copious amounts of rolling hills and lush tallgrass around it. I only budgeted a 24 hour period there. In reality I could have made it a week long trip to cover the amount of area it spans.

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve covers a great length of Kansas. It is right side justified, just off from the center of the state and nearly spans the state from bottom to top. That is quite the amount of area to cover in one 24 hour trip.

One of the key buildings on the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the school house. It is a magical little place that still resembles a school house from the late 1800’s. I spent the bulk of the first day there and most of the morning with Richard. After hiking nearly 2.5 miles to this point I was awe struck by its presence.

In Conclusion

While I may not have gotten my epic Milky Way shot or my glamorous sunset or rise, I am thrilled with what I walked away with. The point of this little visual rant is not to get discouraged when your photo plan goes sour. Forget about the epic stuff you see on 500px and drop the jealousy factor of the Milky Way shots you see everywhere. When it comes down to it, I think we all know that someone didn’t actually plan to have an epic sunset. It’s not like you can buy it it off of some à la carte photo menu of tapas.

My Dad always told me to not worry about what I cannot control but focus on the things I could. This is true with all things in life to include photography excursions. After all, would an epic sunset shot really be worth it if I could pay someone to make it brilliant?

The answer is no. The real sense of satisfaction comes from the surprise factor, the Wow Moment. You can’t plan a Wow Moment. You have to be open to them and be aware that it wasn’t necessarily a missed opportunity if things didn’t go according to your initial plan. In reality there is opportunity all around you. Don’t death spiral toward what you expect, because the unexpected will always be right there giggling at you.

I may not have gotten what I initially planned, but what I did get was much better! I’ll take that any day of the week.

Brings back memories as I grew up in Emporia, Kansas and had some amazing bass fishing expeditions in ponds located in the Flint Hills! I now live on a Mountain outside of Weaverville, CA in a location that gives me panoramic views of the Trinity Alps.
Blake I think I may have purchased material from you in the past, but can’t locate it. Any help from your records would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Thanks Jim, I basically followed all of my principles outlined in the Zone Systems. That is my go to workflow. Mild Tone Mapping, then Digital Zone System, then Color Zone System, then the Actions made in the new Zone System Master Class and I’m done.

I think the Classroom is my favorite as well. I had to do some serious clone stamping here to get the back chalkboard clean. It had some information about the Lower Fox Creek School there. The problem, it was too new age and distracted from the photo. It took away the classroom charm. I had to de-futurize it.

I’m glad I didn’t second guess the weather and came on out, too. It was fun to see the area again and I’m going to take some Saturdays soon and spend some early morning time out there as autumn creeps in.

If you want fantastic photos of the Milky way come down to Australia. Siding Springs Observatory near Coonabarabran in the winter time, the air is so crisp and clear you feel that you can just reach up and touch the stars they are that close. Never knew there was so many stars in the heavens till I was there.